Our 'Work for Locals' Policy
At Aconcagua Treks we’re passionate about the countries that we visit and are committed to operating in a responsible manner. We recognise that the destinations we visit are affected by our trips, so we ensure that each trip is designed and operated responsibly, maximising the positive effects of tourism.
We believe tourism can help rural communities by providing much needed employment and give powerful economic reasons to preserve shrinking natural environments. We use local people and companies wherever possible to ensure that the income generated from our trips benefits the local economy.
We offer small group travel to ensure our clients have a genuine experience as well as ensuring that our impact on the local environment is kept to a minimum. We believe that this type of small group, positive impact tourism can bring benefits to many communities and help preserve the environments we travel to see.
- We work in close association with the best local guides and suppliers. Not only does this ensure that it is the host community who are managing and benefiting from the local tourist industry, but we also believe that our clients will have a better trip as local agents have a much more intimate knowledge of the region.
- We always use local guides, drivers and support staff which not only provides employment and income for the local community, but also increases the authenticity of the client’s trip.
- Our ground agents are chosen for their awareness of responsible tourism policies and their strong environmental commitment. Responsible practice is one of the principle criteria during the selection of new suppliers, and ethical initiatives form a fundamental element in our ground arrangements.
- We issue our clients with clear guidelines on responsible tourism and ecotourism, all specific to the particular environment/region. These cover a number of issues including waste disposal in remote areas, recycling materials, buying from local businesses and not exploiting the area’s wildlife or harming the environment.
- Our trading partners are asked to keep us updated on their own responsible tourism practices as well as potential community tourism projects, local charities that we can recommend to our clients.
- All of our clients are asked to report on the behaviour and awareness of our agents and local guides once they have returned home from their trip.
- Wherever possible we always try to favour small locally owned hotels over large international chains. We work closely with our local agent to source quality B&Bs, boutique hotels and eco-friendly lodges. This ensures that as much revenue as possible remains in the host country as well as providing an experience with more genuine character for our clients.
- We strictly adhere to the regulations in Aconcagua Provincial Park and always use sustainable practices on our expeditions and trekking operations.
